Del Sol
by RLauren
Summary: What happens when Edward meets someone from his past- but doesn't even know it? Rated T just to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

I own nothing! I don't own McDonald's, either! Stephenie Meyer gets credit for everything!

Author's Note:

Okay, so the fonts are Stephenie Meyer's. I don't own Chanel, or McDonald's, I just used those names. I did think up Dustin and Emily, though. :-)

And I put this on earlier but I (tried to) divide it into chapters now! :-)

_**Del Sol**_

**by Rachael Stark**

**Change is unavoidable**

Edward Cullen sighed heavily. "I'm no good for you, Bella. You deserve a human boy. Not me." He used all of his inhuman strength to say that. Now the words were out. Bella Swan sat at her living room table, horrorstruck. Was he…breaking up with her? Edward dashed out the door. "Sorry," he said quietly in her ear right before he fled. "Sorry." That word would haunt Bella for the next chapter in her life.

Edward Cullen ran for his silver Volvo that was parked on the curb. He gracefully lept in and looked back at Bella's house. She was at the door staring into his buttery golden eyes, searching for answers. "Sorry," he mouthed again and sped off.

He sniffled. Wait-was he _sick?_ Vampires do _not_ get sick. Something was very wrong. He pulled out his silver cell phone and dialed Carlisle's phone number at the hospital.

"Dr. Carlisle Cullen speaking."

"Yes…this is Edward," he started.

"Is everything okay?" Carlisle asked worriedly.

"I'm not sure," Edward replied honestly. "Can I come up?"

"Of course." Carlisle responded. He didn't need to tell Edward to come quickly; Edward's 120 miles per hour norm was all the Volvo could handle.

When Edward arrived at the hospital Carlisle was waiting for him at the front desk.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Edward sneezed. "I honestly don't know."

"Are you- _sick?_"

"I don't know," Edward repeated flatly.

"You've been spending a lot of time with Bella. That _had_ to have some effect on you… why don't we get you back home to check you out?" Carlisle mused.

Edward didn't realize Carlisle had went in gotten his briefcase and been back in a flash. Things were getting so weird. Vampires caught everything. What was going on?

"Are you well enough to drive?" Carlisle asked.

"Yes," Edward replied. He got into his Volvo, which was parked right next to Carlisle's Mercedes. Edward pulled out of the parking lot behind him. They got to the red light right before the 110-turnoff to their house. Edward absent-mindedly put a Debussy CD into the slot. The next thing he knew, he looked up and the light was green. Mrs. Weber behind him was politely reminding him to go by honking.

"Dammit!" Edward said, exasperated. He sped ahead and finally arrived at his house. Carlisle was waiting expectantly outside his car in the garage for him. Carlisle had never waited for Edward, it was usually the other way around.

_Everything is definitely not normal in Forks. Let me take this time to introduce myself to you readers and my dear Edward Cullen. Hello, I'm your worst nightmare and you need not to know more._

"I didn't see that the light had changed," Edward said, sounding like that explained all of the madness. Carlisle pretended not to be worried and no one knew if he was. You see, Edward could tell what Carlisle's thoughts were about this on any day. But not today. He walked into their living room with everyone glaring at him. He tried to shrug it off, but he was actually scared. He has never felt so _vulnerable_ before. He didn't know what anyone was thinking so he tried to read their faces. Carlisle as trying to be calm while he was explaining the situation. Rosalie looked pissed off. Jasper looked intrigued. Alice looked shocked and Esme had a look of confusion on her Snow White face. Worst of all, Emmett looked betrayed.

"So…" Edward started.

"Edward, your future is getting less clear," Alice finally spoke. He immediately knew what that meant. It wasn't his future that was getting fuzzy; it was _him._

"What's that supposed to mean?"

_Wow. Emmett is slow._

"Well, I've never read about or witnessed anything like this, but I think Edward is turning into a _human_," Carlisle breathed. Silence.

"When?" Rosalie's voice was barely a squeak.

"Any day now." Carlisle started pacing.

"Where will I live?" Edward questioned.

"Here, naturally."

"But isn't someone going to want to take a snap at me? _Why is the happening?_" He roared.

"No one knows. I am so sorry, Edward." The story of his life. Goodbyes and sorry's.

"Rest assured, Edward. We _will_ find a way to stop this." Carlisle pledged.

"So what do I do now?" Edward looked at the clock. It was 2:30 in the afternoon and he was starving for the first time since 1918. "You know what? I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" Esme asked.

"McDonald's. I'm starved." Edward didn't care that there were six sets of vampire eyes staring at him dumbfoundedly as he left.

Edward went down the street to Forks' only McDonald's. Actually, Forks' only fast food restaurant, period. He needed to sort things out. He sat at a booth with his chicken Caesar salad and a Coke. He hesitantly took a bite of his salad.

"Not too bad," he muttered. He was contemplating the pros and cons of telling Bell. As he took the final sip of the Coke, he went up to the counter.

"One chocolate milkshake." Why not try new things? It's not like this human thing was going to be permanent.

"Wait- make that _two,_" he said with a smile.

Bella was on the porch reading _Wuthering Heights_ again. As soon as she heard the familiar _purr_ of the Volvo, her head snapped up.

"I thought you said I deserved better," she quipped.

Edward sighed, "I do think that but I think I might have a way to fix it. May I?" He gestured towards the porch step beside Bella.

"Sure." Her face flushed with relief.

"Milkshake?" He asked, handing it to her.

"Yeah! You know I love chocolate! Edward, why do you have two? Are you trying to fatten me up?" She laughed, visibly less upset.

"No, it's for _me_," Edward replied calmly. Bella looked confused. "Bella? Something happened to me today…and well…I think I'm turning human again," he said bluntly. Why not get to the point? Bella stood up.

"This is some kind of sick joke, right?"

"No," was all Edward managed to choke out. Bella stared into his eyes.

"Holy Crow!!" she jumped back.

"What is it?"

"I swear this morning your eyes were _golden!_" she said.

"Bella, we've been through this before-"

Bella broke Edward off. "Yes! I know! But now they are so _green!_"

Edward held one finger up to Bella's mouth to silence her.

"You aren't cold!" She whisper-yelled. She pushed him off the porch and into the sunlight. "You aren't strong and _you don't glitter!_" She was freaking out now, if not past that. "But shouldn't you be 107 years old?"

"Hm," Edward said. He wasn't sure what would happen once he was fully human. Shouldn't he be a pile of ashes under a gravestone? There was also the Cullen's cover story to think about. Since now Edward was aging again, he'd _eventually_ be older than Carlisle, who was pretending to be the adoptive father. Edward couldn't go on like this. His world, the one he'd been living in for over eight decades was suddenly caving in on him. Once he was sure that he was completely human, he could have Carlisle change him into a vampire. Again. The burning and bloodlust of being a newborn was almost unbearable. And worst of all, he might not get his gift back.

_Poor Edward._

The sun was setting on the worst day of Edward's entire _existence_. He was tired. Edward looked at his wrist to check his watch. His skin had a baked gold tint to it, instead of the white marble vampire skin. Why was the change happening so quickly? At the very least, Edward wanted to have something from his past world. The only reminder now was his last name. _Cullen._ He was only seventeen and didn't have enough patience for college round seven, so he'd have to deal with his current sleeping arrangements for now.

"I'll see you later." Edward kissed Bella with crushing force. He didn't have to hold back anymore. Bella was worried. Was he saying goodbye for a third time? The Cullen's _are_ known for their goodbyes….

It felt like just yesterday to Bella that Edward had killed Victoria with his bare hands but now it looked like _he_ was the one who need to be protected.

"I promised I would stay for eternity but obviously I don't have eternity to stay." Bella wanted to cry for him but he already was.

"Oh, Edward!" She used her thumb to smear the tear off his cheek. She'd never seen him cry because believe it or not, vampires don't cry. Edward started to walk away towards his Volvo. Remarkably, Bella was able to pull him to a stop by tugging on the back of his shirt.

"Don't go. Carlisle will find a way! He'll-he'll change you again!"'

"No, Bella. I'm done." She instantly remembered him talking last September about how easy it would be to kill himself if he was human. That was the same birthday she rescued him from a suicide mission when he thought she was dead… Now the _if_ and come true.

"NO!" she fell to her knees and started sobbing. Edward smiled but she could tell it took a lot of energy to put it on.

"It's just me, Edward Anthony Masen, Bella. I'm hardly a reason to get so melodramatic. Now go to Charlie at the station or Angela or somewhere. _Just not Alice._"

_Hmm…Wonder why? Maybe it was because Alice had a plan brewing of her own? Or because he could tell Alice was going to be the one who would eventually end her life once and for all?_

Wait-he was going to leave the Cullen's? Just like that? Bella tried to imagine Rosalie staring at herself in the full-length mirror, Emmett bellowing at the football game on the flat screen, Carlisle and Esme chatting on the sofa, and Jasper and Alice out hunting. No one would be playing her favorite lullaby on the piano. It hurt just to think of that. But eventually, may it be seventy or eighty years from now, the Cullen's would be reduced to six. Edward was only human, right? The pain of emptiness returned. It had gone away as soon as Edward had come back into her life but with the thought of him leaving again there was nothing to fill the void. What was to blame for the fateful day? More like _who?_

_Eeny, meeny, miney, moe. Catch a Cullen by the toe. My mother told me to say who was to blame and you are not…IT!_

Bella stumbled out of her old Chevy the next morning at school. She doubted any of the Cullen's would be there. Surprisingly, Emmett and Jasper were emerging from Emmett's Jeep. Emmett was grinning hugely.

"Hey Bella!" He said, like it was any other day. She didn't have to ask about the whereabouts of the other Cullen siblings and Edward who, as far as she knew, wasn't part of that family anymore. Unless, that is, he changed his mind. Just ask Alice, but the future isn't set in stone. But _where_ were they? Not hunting this time, obviously. Bella was left pondering this question at the front her truck when the bell rang.

When Bella finally got to lunch, she wasn't sure where he should sit. Would it be weird to sit with just Emmett and Jasper? Would it be rude if she didn't? She settled on the safe choice; sitting with the Cullen's. To see where on the table she should set her tray, she looked into Emmett's and then Jasper's eyes to gauge their thirst. Emmett's were liquid butterscotch and Jasper's were a shade slightly darker. He was already suffering with her that close so she set her tray next to Emmett's and _across_ from Jasper's. She pulled her purple turtleneck up higher to her face. She knew she was being ainal about it but her policy was the less neck exposure, the better. Royal blue, Edward's favorite color on her was strictly forbidden lately since she didn't know how long he would be in her life. The thought of losing him _again_ sent a shiver through her spine. Emmett thought she was reacting to the seating arrangement, so he added:

"It's okay, Bella. We're not thirsty." And smiled.

Too bad. One snap is all I'm asking for…

Jasper let out a small chuckle.

"You are confused," Jasper said, phrasing it so it wasn't a question.

"Aren't we all?" Emmett replied acidly.

"Hm," was all Jasper replied and gave a small nod abruptly ending that conversation.

"Okay…so any weekend plans?" Bella asked, trying to end the awkward silence.

"Stop while you're ahead," A velvet voice warned jokingly. That velvet voice could only belong to one person; Edward!! Bella turned around to take in the transformation that had probably progressed since she had seen him yesterday. He was _blushing!_ It was most beautiful thing Bella had ever seen and it took her breath away.

"Why are you here?" Bella asked, surprised.

"Would you rather I leave?" Edward was obviously avoiding the question.

"No… but I thought you had enough to think about-"

"Or lack of," Edward interjected. His face made a big pout. Since his gift was gone, his mind had been eerily quiet.

"Well, you _do_ have to pay attention to the teacher in class now," Bella pointed out.

Edward chuckled darkly. He set is tray of food down next to Jasper and picked up a piece of pizza. He tore a bite off then chewed and swallowed it. Trying to lighten the mood, Edward a cookie out to Emmett.

"Try it. I bet you are too chicken to take one teeny, tiny bite," he challenged playfully. He knew Emmett couldn't resist a good bet. Emmett snatched the cookie and, being the man he is, shoved the whole sphere into his mouth and swallowed audibly.

"Ew!" He gagged. "Be right back."

"What, are vampires bulimic or something?" Bella joked.

"No, Bella." Alice laughed her high soprano laugh, which sounded like singing. She sat down at the table in the spot next to Bella.

"Has Carlisle found out anything yet?" Jasper asked, changing the subject.

"He's not entirely sure." Alice flashed Jasper the 'I'll-fill-you-in-when-we-aren't-in-front-of-Bella' look. Bella felt out of the loop.

_Ha, but I knew what had happened. After all, who do you think the cause was? Little ole' _moi_, per chance?_


	2. Chapter 2

The future isn't set in stone…or is it?

Alice Cullen walked down the grand staircase in the Cullen's mansion. She foresaw Bella coming, so she went to get the door before Bella was even around the bend. What could Bella want?

"Hi!" Alice squealed when Bella put her truck in park in their driveway. She lightly kissed Bella on the cheek.

"Well…I was wondering…" Bella started nervously. "If you had any plans this weekend? I'm not scheduled to work and I have _nothing_ to do." And she wasn't lying. Jessica and Lauren were in Mexico, the Newton's had closed up for winter break to go to Chicago and Angela and Ben both had stomach flu _again_. So that left Alice. Not that she didn't want to be with Edward, but she just felt downright awkward around him there days. Ha, or Rosalie.

_Now _that_ would be interesting. Playdate with Rosalie ends in disaster. See the headlines now?_

Alice eyed her skeptically.

"Okayyy…how long? A couple days?" Alice asked excitedly.

"Sure, why not?" Bella was actually excited.

"But I thought you didn't like sleepovers?" Alice was suspicious again.

"This isn't a hostage situation," Bella laughed. Alice handed her the phone. Bella dialed her house number. While the phone was ringing she mouthed, "My house or yours?"

"Mine!" Alice mouthed back.

"Hey Charlie. It's me. Yeah, I'm fine. Can I stay at Alice's house for a couple of days?" Of course Alice heard what Charlie was saying on the other line through the tiny speaker. When Charlie asked if it as okay with Esme, Alice nodded enthusiastically.

Bella hopped into her truck. "I'll pack." She looked into Alice's eyes. They were a pale back. "You hunt." Alice nodded and closed the car door for Bella.

It was two a.m. and Bella was on her seventh Coca-Cola. She was so wound up. The sleepover day one didn't turn out so bad; they went shopping (groan) and to the bookstore (yay!) and out to dinner in Port Angeles. Alice didn't eat, like usual. Jasper, who still kept his distance, was watching TV on the couch with the girls. Edward was upstairs in the bed the Cullen's had paced in the center of his massive room, sleeping_._ Bella could hear him snoring.

"Poor kid's wiped out all the time now," Alice said sadly, obviously reflecting on the crazy's weeks events.

"Speaking of, Bella, you should really be getting to bed," Carlisle said as he walked into the room. Bella yawned as if on cue.

"Yeah," Alice laughed. "I'll show you where you'll be sleeping." The girls walked into an unfamiliar room that contained a familiar black leather sofa.

"Ahhh," Bella breathed as she remembered the last time she was kidnapped and slept on the sofa only months ago. Bella got into her sweatpants and a T-shirt and climbed into bed.

"This is fun, Alice," she yawned and drifted to sleep.

She rolled to her side to find a cold statue-like body there. Ahh. Bad dream. Edward _wasn't_ human again. Thank God.

"Edward," she murmured. She opened her eyes, expecting to stare into his liquid butter-gold eyes, only to find it wasn't Edward there. "What the hell, Emmett?" she yelled.

Bella bolted upward.

"Hey, what's up?" Emmett was standing in her doorway. "I heard you call my name-"

"AHHHHH!" Bella screamed again.

"I'm not that scary, am I?" Emmett laughed.

"Oh, sorry. I had a bad dream," Bella said, embarrassed.

"'Kay." Emmett sauntered out of the room. Edward came in and sat at the foot of her bed. His normally perfect hair was sticking out in a million different directions, like hers probably was. He was wearing flannel sleep pants, a loose grey T-shirt and navy Old Navy flip-flops.

_Yes, I know. Not what we usually wear around the house, but he was just getting used to the whole "just woke up" getup. Poor baby._

"G'Morning. Eggs and bacon are on the table. We are finally getting use out of the kitchen." He winked and left to do the kind of hunting she was used to; the morning hunt for the OJ.

After the second day of the sleepover, Alice deposited Bella at Charlie's house.

"That was fun! But you _have_ to let my pay you back for the dress!" Bella _was_ planning on graduating in a couple of months and after Alice convinced her to try on this dress, even _she_ fell in love with it.

"No! It's a Christmas present!" Alice said sounding almost offended.

"Okayyyyy…" Bella said hesitantly. She backed away from the curb, heading towards her house.

"Tell Charlie I say hi and hope to see him if I can," Alice yelled from her new yellow 911 Porche. What was with the Cullen's and double standards?


	3. Chapter 3

Surprises aren't for the fainthearted

The following days for Bella consisted of playing in the freshly fallen snow, finishing not one but _two_ essays, cooking for Charlie and happily being Jacob-free. Emmett kicked down a tree to carry back for their Christmas tree and decorated it. On the other hand, Edward was a total mental case. Decisions, decisions, decisions. Leave? Stay? Say goodbye to Bella _again?_ But did she still love him? Edward pondered these exact questions on the side of the road somewhere in Canada.

_Trust me, I'm going to make sure their love is short lived._

Emmett Cullen aimlessly wandered in the woods while Rosalie and Esme hunted. He _was_ thirsty but behind his carefree smile there was confusion, anger and betrayal. He did like Bella, as a friend of course, but it was most likely her fault that his brother wasn't one of them anymore unless Carlisle found some kind of reversal. Carlisle had really hit the books this time in order to help his son but all he had found so far was that Edward had to be changed _again_, which would be like a totally pain in the butt for everyone. Having to deal with him…ugh. Emmett groaned at the thought. Rosalie was instantly by his side. She could tell what he was thinking because it was all on display on his face. Rosalie quickly thought of a distraction.

"Baseball? It's supposed to rain tonight and now the teams are even."

"Sure," Emmett sighed, not trying to be his usually sarcastic self. "Just don't let _him_ bring his pet along."

Esme appeared by Rosalie's side and sighed, "It's not her fault, Emmett."

"Okay, Esme. It's either _us_ or _them_ and I'm not talking about for the game tonight."

"This isn't going to divide us again!" Rosalie growled, "I'll bite that boy myself if I have to!" Rosalie ran away at top speed.

"Rose-" Emmett sprinted after her. Esme rolled her eyes and sighed, running after the pair.

Bella stared at her calendar. She just couldn't fall asleep. She'd tried everything; warm milk with honey, counting sheep, and even taking unnecessary cold medicine in one of many attempts to knock her out but nothing seemed to be working. So now she lie spread out on her bed organizing her calendar, hoping the thought of her uneventful, dull life would _bore_ her to sleep. It had been only Thursday that Edward had started to change human again. Now it was Sunday, the end of the shortest winter break Bella had ever experienced. She had made dinner for Charlie hours earlier but for some reason it looked mildly repulsive to her so she sat with him while he gorged on steak and potatoes. They talked bout school and how the snow was finally melting, but much like Bella, small talk was a topic Charlie should never have attempted. She expected herself to be hungry by now after skipping the meal, but she wasn't.

The next morning, after staying up all night, she made pancakes for Charlie but she herself didn't eat so she faked a late term paper. Bella sat drumming her fingers waiting for her ancient computer to dial up to the Internet. A large chunk of wood from her desk that had been directly under her impatient fingers now lay on the floor.

"Stupid old desk," she muttered when the truth was that the desk was brand new.

_Coincidence? Nope. Just yours truly spicing up life for everyone in Forks._

Alice Cullen went around tidying up the house. She picked up the giant piano off the floor with one hand and with the other she pushed the vacuum cleaner under it to get the dust up. She gently set it back in place and went upstairs to change into her brand new baseball outfit. She sighed. It just wouldn't be the same playing without Edward. And he was only God knows where.

_Oh, I know where he is. He's thinking about his current…_predicament_._

Edward was thinking about the future. He knew he was going to stay with the Cullen's, his family, but he wasn't sure what to do with Bella.

_Come on. Isn't it obvious? She just isn't worth all this trouble._

He pulled into his driveway and spotted Carlisle talking to an oddly familiar pale, brunette figure. A wave of deja vú hit him as he bolted towards them. He stood, mouth agate, looking into the crimson eyes of Bella Swan. Then the world went black.

When he awoke, Edward saw Emmett and Jasper hovering over him.

"What the-" He started to say.

"We don't know how," Jasper started

"Or why, but Bella-" Emmett butt in.

"What happened to Bella?" Edward shot straight up and instantly regretted it. The world around him was spinning.

"She's…we'll let you see for yourself." Jasper backed up. Edward saw Bella with her head in her knees on the floor facing opposite the Cullen's helping Edward. How could Bella be a vampire and who changed her?

_Heh, very amusing. The predators are now the prey in my little game…how foolish are they not to know that an invisible force (to them at the moment, at least) is at work? This is fun!_

Edward was feverishly trying to remember how to close his mouth and how to form words.

"We were very surprised to see Bella at school this morning pinning Mike Newton against a wall trying to kill him…he was hauled to the ER…" Alice stated nervously.

"And we convinced Jessica, the only witness, that she was trying to plant one on him," Emmett smirked. "And she didn't fall for it. She's still kinda suspicious."

"This isn't fair!" Edward complained. "She doesn't even want to be a vampire!" He pouted.

_God, he was cute when he pouted!_

"I'm working on it, Edward!" Carlisle said fiercely and sprinted to his office. He shut the door and locked it with an audible _click._ What Carlisle needed was _time_, and it definitely wasn't on his side.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Ding, Ding!**_** Round 1! In this corner, we have Edward Cullen and his opponent, Bella Swan!**

Edward Cullen woke to Esme pulling the blinds and letting the sun pour in. Sleep was unavoidable. As much as he tried to stay awake, sleep always won him over. It was just like waking up. Unavoidable. Edward thought putting up with his temptation to kill Bella the first day was bad, then this was hell. Absolute hell.

_It would have made my job so easier if he had just killed her…I wouldn't have had to ruin so many other people's innocent little lives with my little games…too bad._

It felt like just yesterday when he told Bella that he'd trade _anything_ to be human with her. Ha! Now Bella was what he prayed to be again. But he didn't know that the feeling was mutual.

Bella Swan was yelling at the last people she thought she could ever be mad at.

"How do you explain this, Carlisle? Is it too much to ask for when I wanted Edward, who_ happened_ to be a vampire, for a boyfriend? Or is my happiness limited?" Carlisle opened his mouth to speak but Bella cut him off. "Yes, I _did_ want to be a vampire, before. Before Edward-"

"Before I what?" Edward came down the stairs trying his best to look composed. And then he lost it. "_Before I what?" _he roared again.

_Strike one._

"I didn't _ask_ for any of this! I didn't mind being a vampire! No-I actually _enjoyed_ it! I didn't _ask_ to be human! And _you_, Bella!" He spat her name like it was poison on his tongue. "Now you are in my position and I am in yours! I _know_ what restraint it is taking you not to just come over here and kill me! Imagine _kissing_ that! What _I_ had to endure! You aren't the same person anymore, Bella! Even before, you where avoiding me like I had leprosy! IT'S ME!" Edward continued his monologue. "I _should_ have saved all my regret and let Tyler kill you last March! Our lives would have been unchanged! Just another clumsy human!" Edward half-lied. He continued his rant. "We should have never met!"

_Strike two._

"And you still would have forced me to expose us! Either way, you have _ruined our lives!_

_Strike three. Wait- isn't someone supposed to be out now?_

"Okay. Fighting is _not_ going to help right now! Do you want my news or not?" Carlisle said, exasperated.

"Get on with it," Emmett said gruffly.

"It's none of your business anyways, Emmett" Edward mumbled.

"Hell it is, Edward! This affects _all_ of us!" Emmett boomed.

"God, Bella. Go ruin someone else's family," Rosalie quipped.

"Okay, well I guess you _children_ don't care that I found a solution…" Carlisle said as he started to walk away.

"What!? You should have just spat it out! What is it?" Emmett asked.

"You call us children when we are almost as old as you. You are so twisted and convoluted! _I am not your daughter!_ My parents died a long time ago!" Rosalie hissed on her way out the door.

_Good. She was such a bother, anyways. I hope nothing bad happens to her in the near future…but you never know. You really don't want to get on my bad side._

Carlisle and Esme sighed collectively and motioned for Edward to follow them into the office.

"Um, hello? What about me?" Bella said when the room cleared.

_Wow. The girl can really clear a room. Literally._

"Yes. You come too." She heard Esme say all the way from the top floor.

_Not good. Bella seems to be getting everything and every_body_ she wants. No worries, things will soon be well. For me at least._


	5. Chapter 5

**Quick beginnings and sudden endings**

Edward Cullen gracefully lept into his Volvo the next morning. After repairing things between him and Bella, he had happily agreed to return to his daily duty of picking her up for school. He was glad they were on good terms ever since the reversal.

_Or so he thought._

When he pulled into the gravelly driveway she uncoordinatedly skidded up to him and he grabbed onto her arm to support her. Her chocolate brown hair was pulled into a messy knot and she was wearing the sweats she had slept in.

"Long night?" Edward chuckled lightly.

"Longer than you know," Bella yawned.

"For me as well," he said without missing a beat. He flashed his crooked smile.

"Yesterday felt like a dream. How do I know that it was real?" Bella asked slyly.

"I'll prove it to you like I did the last time." Edward pulled closer to Bella and kissed her lightly on the cheek.

"This isn't right, Bella. Let's go to school. Now." He said, pushing away.

"School, schmool," Bella murmured, obviously not catching the bitterness in his voice.

"You're awake, okay? Christ. Just let me drive."

"But-but…you know what? You're right."

"Am I now?" Edward replied sourly.

_Is the dumb brunette finally catching on?_

"Yeah. We need to get out of here before Charlie sees you."

_Ok, I guess not. Wow. Can't she tell Edward _obviously_ is going to leave her, as long as I have something to do with it, at least?_

"Don't worry. He'll let you go today," he sighed. Spending more time with her was _not_ going to help.

After disappearing for a week last May and three days six months ago to Phoenix, Charlie had blamed Edward for being the cause. So when Bella was a no-show at home yesterday, Chief Swan all except put a restraining order on Edward.

_Not that I would have minded._

"No Florida. Let's keep it on the _Olympic Peninsula_ tonight," Bella joked remembering when Edward whisked her away to Florida the last time she was set free.

"No Victoria, no problem." Edward chuckled. Knowing Bella's luck, Victoria probably would rise from wherever vampires go when they are supposed to be dead.

They were now pulling off the main road to Forks High. Mike Newton was awkwardly leaning against a bench across from where the Volvo was parked trying to look cool. Mike was obviously intimidated by Edward so he wasn't making eye contact but he looked at Bella like she was the sun that just brightened up the normally cloudy Forks day. He motioned for Bella to come talk to him. Alone. She pretended to ignore him until Edward said,

"Mike wants to talk, Bella. Unless you want me to take care of this?" Edward jokingly made his fists into balls, ready to serve the first punch.

"Oh no, Edward! If you _ever_ hurt Mike, I'd-" She put her hand over her forehead in mock horror. "No, seriously. I'm fine."

"See you in class then. Oh, and use this if you need it." He slipped her a can of pepperspray.

"More like Charlie everyday," she mumbled.

Bella had a feeling he'd be mentally eavesdropping so he wouldn't need a rundown later. His talents came in handy once in awhile. Also, she was glad everything was _finally _back to normal.

_Or so _she_ thought._

Her Jacob drawer was shut once again and yesterday's events were sealed shut as well. But she had the nagging feeling something bad was going to happen. Soon. She just needed to figure out who, what, where, when and why.

_It's not time for my big reveal yet…what would be the fun in that?_

"Hey Bella, can we talk for a sec?" Mike broke Bella out of her thoughts. "So you know the prom? Since I heard Cullen will be out of town I figured maybe we could go?" He took in her expression of horror, shock and disbelief. "Or as a group I guess."

"Wait. Edward's leaving?" Bella couldn't believe it. Oh. No. Is that why he kept saying it would get harder to let go?

_Nope! I'm going to mess up your life _way_ more before I have your last salvation leave for the final time._

She thought about pressing Mike for details but she decided she'd go straight to the source himself as soon as she got out of this pointless conversation.

"So…do you want to go? It's like a horror house theme with scary monsters like witches and vampires and stuff. It should be freaky. But cool." Mike pressed on. Bella couldn't help but laugh. How ironic is that? If Edward went he didn't even have to dress up.

"Don't laugh at me for trying, okay? You can be such a-"

"No! That's not why I was laughing!" She said as he was walking away. She couldn't even explain without putting the Cullen's at risk. Oh well.

She stomped off to class in search of answers. As soon as she go seated she whipped out a sheet of paper and scrawled "_Answers" _at the top of the page. She was about to hand the note off to Edward when she added: And not the crap you gave me when I demanded answers the first time.

He sighed and in an instant he handed back the paper with his own person calligraphy. He knew half of the conversation she had with Mike from listening in on Mike's end.

He got it wrong. Alice, Jasper and Rosalie might head up to Denali for a while and I was thinking about joining them. Of course I was going to talk it over with you first.

No biggie?

No worries, Bella. Are you free tonight?

Yeah, as soon as Charlie says so.

You will get a call from Charlie at lunch so I will pick you up at seven. And I am driving this time. He added with a smirk.

Dont _you_ ever need to do your homework? Bella asked, getting into a new topic. The teacher was droning on in his own little Biology world so they remained undetected.

Lately I seem to get distracted... He glanced at Bella.

I would say sorry but Im not!

_Oh, wow. Guh-ross._

The rest of the day passed by in a blur. After Edward dropped Bella off at her home she got into her truck to go pick up a few grocery items. She put the key in the ignition. It croaked, wheezed and sputtered before going to the big junkyard in the sky. So did that explain Edward's optimism?

_No._

Bella sighed and pulled out her ultra high tech new cell phone. She fiddled with the keys and finally managed to spell out in a new text message:

Car Broken pls come help fix

Xo, Bella

She started shaking. Her car had never broken down this badly. She didn't have enough money to buy a new one and certainly wouldn't let Edward. Her phone's ringtone started playing indicating she had a new text.

Two seconds was all it read. Exactly two seconds later Bella hear the familiar _purr_ of the Volvo.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly.

"No problem." Edward breezed past Bella and into the house. She was about to close the door when she saw a blond head.

"Excuse _me!"_ called a voice.

Rosalie.

Bella looked at Edward and then Rosalie and back to Edward.

"Just doing charity work," Rosalie mumbled. "Ew, Bella. You smell like _dog_. At least warn us when your going to see Jacob so Alice can buy some Chanel No.5."

"I didn't-"

"Ok. Whatever."

"Did you guys kill my truck just for an excuse to get me a new one?" Bella questioned suspiciously.

"Um, _no. _God Bella. Get a grip. We wouldn't _waste_ our time doing that."

"Out! I was _going_ to _let_ you look at her car. I _know_ how much you love to work on cars. _Get out!_" Edward hollered. Good thing Charlie was at the station. This was going to be a showdown.

_More than she knows._

"You got _exactly_ what you deserve, Bella. A broken truck and a broken man." Rosalie's dark eyes were even colder now. "But not for long. Watch. He's going to leave you. _Again._ He's been talking about it for a couple of months now. He's going to make a break for it when we go to Denali." Rosalie sneered, content with what damage she did. She turned on her Jimmy Choo kitten heels and walked out the door.

"Thought Blondie would never get out," called a voice from the back of the living room. Bella only knew one person (noun could be argued) who called Rosalie "Blondie."

"First the motorcycles and now this? Is he going to light my house on fire next?" Bella mumbled.

"Not funny," Edward whispered. "Come out here, mongrel!" he said loudly.

"No! I _can't_ see Jacob!" Bella cried. She grabbed the first thing she saw on the kitchen counter- a recently sharpened steak knife.

_Niiiiice._

"Hey, Bells. Remember me?" Jacob lowered his tone to the way a mother talks to her child. Bella held the steak knife ready to attack. For the first time, Edward didn't object. She could sense his intentions.

"Don't do anything that you'll regret later," she reminded him.

"Come on, Bells," Jacob said, almost pleading. "You are going to put that knife down, okay? Unless you want some vampire sushi, you aren't going to hurt anyone." His usually sarcastic self was shining through. Bella whimpered.

"Why did you feel the need to dismantle Bella's truck?" Edward said as calmly as possible.

"Does he do the talking for you too, now? Don't you see what he's doing? He is doing as much as he can _before he leaves!" _

"Why does everyone keep telling me you are leaving? Are you?" Bella cried.

"I was going to. It was for you, Bella. Everything I do has a reason. We just couldn't stay here. We have caused too much drama." Bella scrutinized him. How could he? Good thing she had put the knife down.

_It's not like it would have hurt him. I would _never_ let her hurt him._

"I didn't want you getting away. We have to talk," Jacob begged.

"Talk," Bella whispered almost inaudibly.

"I'm outta time, Bella honey. For the final time I need to ask. _Him or me?_" He saw Edward clench his teeth together with rage.

"Don't make her do this, dog."

"Why? Are you afraid she'll choose me after she found out you were going to take off and leave her with me? Maybe I shouldn't have told her and let you leave. Then she'd be with me again. And she'd be _happy._ She doesn't want to be with a monster anymore. Face it. I've won," Jacob boasted even though he had not yet won _or _lost.

"Let her decide."

Bella swallowed hard. "Jacob, I've told you. I love you and could never live without you but you are like a brother. I know that I belong with Edward."

"But we could be _normal_ together! Edward's some kind of freaky _thing!_ He's unnatural!"

Bella wanted Jacob to get out so she went low with her next blow. "Um, _dog_? Speaking of unnatural, could you get the hell out?" Jacob received the blow and stumbled backwards going out the door.

"Wait 'till I tell Charlie, Edward. I'm sure he'd love to know that his daughter has a _parasite_ for a boyfriend!"

"You wouldn't!" Bella couldn't believe Jacob was going to rat her out to Charlie _again_. But this time it was a serious matter. "This is all my fault!"

"He is," Edward growled. "You wouldn't _dare_!" At that exact moment Edward's buttery eyes became deep pits of black.

_Wow. Mood swings, much?_

Edward followed Jacob onto the front with Bella in tow. Rosalie was leaning against the car waiting for Edward.

"It's not your fault, Bells. You just need to realize it's not healthy to be around him anymore." Jacob cooed.

"Leave, Rose," Edward growled.

"Ehm, no. Alice is making me play chauffeur and I have to take her back with us."

"LEAVE! I don't want you caught in the middle of this!" Edward warned.

Jacob cracked his neck dramatically. "Let's settle this like men!"

"Good luck, pup!" Rosalie tittered from the sidelines.

"No! There is nothing going on! Jacob, just go back to La Push and let Edward cool off and Edward just chill out, okay?" Bella tried to play peacemaker but it wasn't working. Edward was a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.

_Tick, tick, tick…_

"Go inside Bella!" Edward hissed.

"No!" Bella took Jacob by the shoulders and tried to push him away from Edward.

"NO!" Rosalie yelled. It was too late. Edward lost it. He pounced on Jacob, knocking Bella to the ground. She skidded and landed on the gravel sidewalk. Jacob lay limp on the ground with blood coming out of a crack in his head and a crescent-shaped sliver on his wrist.

…_BOOM!_

Rosalie plugged her nose and ran. Once she was far enough away she called number one on her speed dial, which was none other than Emmett Cullen.

"Em, there is an emergency! Bring Carlisle and who's ever hunted recently because there is a lot of blood. Take the Jeep and have Carlisle take his Mercedes. Bring whatever other cars because we are going to need one _hell_ of a cover story this time," Rosalie muttered into her receiver.

"On it. Hold on," Emmett yelled. She could hear the _whoosh_ of Emmett handing the phone to someone.

"What happened!?" Alice's shrill voice rang out on the speaker.

"Edward might have…lost it?" Rosalie squeaked out. It sounded like a question.

"Bella, is she okay?" Alice whispered. "How did you let this happen?"

"Just get over here and I'll explain everything to everyone all at once, okay? Just hurry up!!" There was a click on the other end. She didn't need them to help out. She could help, right? She ran over to Edward despite the pull of the blood. She grabbed him and pulled him. He didn't protest. Once he was secured in his Volvo she ran over to Jacob. He was gone, no doubt. With Edward in the car sulking, the stink of dog gone from Jacob's blood, her eyes widened as she reveled in the fact that no one was watching. He was hers. All hers.

_Watch yourself…don't want daddy to ground you for breaking the rules!_


	6. Chapter 6

**Over the river and through the woods! To Denali, Alaska we go!**

Carlisle was the first to arrive on the scene in his Mercedes. He was followed by Alice and Emmett in the Jeep. Since Esme hadn't hunted in awhile, she was instructed to stay home.

"Oh, no!" Carlisle left the car idling on the street and ran to where Rosalie was. Her eyes were feverish and thirsty. She had blood on her hands and Jacob in her arms.

"Rosalie! Get away!" Carlisle yelled. Rosalie hissed. In an instant Emmett was pulling a struggling Rosalie away from Jacob.

"Bella!!" Alice ran over to Bella.

"Carlisle, Jacob is gone. Just help Bella!" Emmett yelled. Carlisle took out the necessary supplies to attend to Bella while barking out orders.

"Alice, Bella will be fine so go think of a cover story, destroy evidence and then come help me. Emmett, go talk to Edward. Rosalie, call Tanya. We're going to need to stay in Denali for a while. After that, call Esme and tell her what's going on. She's going to need to stay here. Actually, I'm staying here too. I'll tell Charlie what he needs to hear to keep quiet." Edward walked out of his car and was eyeing Carlisle and Bella.

"I-"

"Shut up and listen. Do you know what you did? You could have exposed us. We don't even know. You probably are going to make us move to like, London or somewhere bad. Bella is on the ground _unconscious_. Jacob is on the ground, _dead_. We're going up to Denali with Bella if she ever wakes up. And you? We don't care what _you_ do," Emmett said gruffly.

"Yes, we do care! You're coming with us and then we are going to sort this out up in the cool mountain air," Alice hollered.

"Bella?" Edward whispered.

"She's _just _woke up." Alice responded.

"Thank God. I don't know what happened, Emmett. One minute I was yelling and then-"

"Don't get all sob story, okay? Carlisle and Esme are going to stay here. Don't worry." Rosalie walked over to try and comfort Edward. Emmett walked over and started up the Jeep.

"At least you didn't kill her yet!" Emmett hollered over the roar of the engine.

_He's the best at advice._

Emmett lept out of the Jeep and went over to Bella to help her into the Jeep. She was babbling, as usual.

"Where are we going? Where's Edward? Where's Jacob? Ohmigod why isn't he breathing? Why isn't he at the hospital yet? Why are you pushing me? _Where are we going?_ Why-"

"Denali. His Volvo. On the ground. He was in a fight. Carlisle's taking care of him. We need to go. Like I said, Denali." Once Bella was seated, Alice appeared in the backseat next to her.

"What? Wait- those are the answers to my questions but I can't remember the order! We're going on the ground and Jacob's in Denali?" Bella blubbered on.

"No," Alice sighed. "We are going to _Denali_. Edward is in _his Volvo_. Jacob was _in a fight_. He's not breathing but _Carlisle's taking care of him_. He's not at the hospital because they don't really do well treating _vampire_ venom…oh, and back to your questions, Emmett was pushing you because _we need to go_ and again, _we're going to Denali_!"

"Why?" Bella uttered meekly.

"Edward killed Jacob. He was going to tell Charlie." Alice cooed.

Bella laughed. "Seriously, Alice!" She said in between laughs.

Alice just looked at her. She was _laughing?_ "Are you mentally stable right now? Or did you hurt your brain when you fell?"

"She actually was _pushed_," Emmett corrected.

"Bella, we swear. Jacob Black is dead." Alice could tell Bella was trying to process the news.

"OHMYGOD!!!" Bella sobbed. "JACOB'S DEAD AND YOU ARE _LEAVING_!!!!!!"

_Not so simple, hot stuff._

"We're taking you with us. This is the scene of the crime. Unless you are ready to tell Charlie about us, you are coming, too." Alice responded. "We consider Tanya family. I left a note but Charlie will still be mad. Are you willing to leave if necessary?"

"Leave Forks? Or leave me house?" Bella was hyperventilating.

"Charlie will make you go to Jacksonville, Bella. I see you there." Was Alice- tearing up? Bella knew it wasn't possible, but she knew she heard Alice sniff in. The story would go: As the children sped away, Carlisle would go to. He'd pause and then turn around. Once he "discovered" Jacob was dead, he'd call the hospital. He would say he was there to see if Bella had seen Edward because he couldn't find any of his children. Of course her house is the first place he would look, right? Rosalie, Edward, Jasper, Emmett and Bella would be speeding away on the Canadian highway.

_How would that work?_

Emmett was driving and Jasper took passenger seat in the Jeep. The Mercedes was with Carlisle and Rosalie and Edward were in the Volvo. Rosalie was biting his head off, figuratively of course, the whole ride.

"Oh my god, Edward! Did you see what you made me do? Esme won't talk to me and now when we get back, I have to go on hunting trips with _only_ Carlisle and Esme! I'm going to be left out of _everything!_ I can't even hunt with Emmett anymore, because 'we need to monitor that you are sticking to out diet if you want to stay in this coven,'" Rosalie perfectly mocked Carlisle's voice.

"I didn't _make_ you drink his blood!" Edward quipped back.

"Well, I wouldn't have had the _opportunity_ if you hadn't killed him in the first place!"

"Nuh-uh!" Edward argued.

"Uh-huh!" a defiant Rosalie protested back.

"Nuh-uh!"

"Uh-huh!"

"Shut up!" Edward ended.

"Make me!"

"Don't tempt me."

_Ah, nothing like sibling rivalry._


	7. Chapter 7

"**Goodbye" never sounded so good**

Bella woke to the sun bleeding in through an unfamiliar window. She turned to her side in search of a clock. Great. It was three a.m. She didn't hear Charlie's muffled snore because Toto, I don't think she's in Kansas anymore. I mean Forks. Also, no one in this house sleeps. It registered with her that she was in Denali, Alaska. Shit. She looked at what else was on the side table. Someone had placed her phone on it. She flipped it open. She looked at the tiny LCD screen. It read: 28 missed calls. 20 new voice messages. 109 missed text messages.

She checked the first text she had received just for grins. It said: Bella where r u? call! Obviously, everything was from Charlie. And the next which read: get home now it's dinner time! She skipped ahead to the one she had just received. She could just imagine Charlie freaking out about her whereabouts while fiddling with the little keys on the phone. u r going 2 jcksnvll as soon as I hear from u whch bttr b soon!!!!!! Bella didn't dare listen to the voice messages. She spotted a pitcher of water across the room. She held down the "end" button and chucked it clear across the room into the pitcher. Ten points!

_You might need that later when a certain you-know-who breaks your wittle heart!_

She felt something on the spot next to her. Do not look for me. Talk to Emmett and he will tell you everything. If you are lucky you will not ever see me again. From, Edward

_Oh really? That handwriting looks awfully familiar. Is it Edward's? Gosh, it could be _anybody!_ Maybe even mine?_

Forget Emmett, Bella was going to a source she could trust. A source like Alice. She needed to get dressed to look presentable. She crept across the room in the darkness to look for the light switch. Once the room was illuminated, she started to rifle through the pink suitcase with little L's and V's all over it. Just your typical designer six-hundred-dollar-per-piece luggage set. It was obviously Alice's. Or Rosalie's. It could even be Esme's but it was totally not Bella's style. She slipped on a navy lace camisole and a gray sweatshirt with matching sweatpants. She looked at the price tag and sighed. Never deny Alice Cullen the chance to shop, even in a dire emergency. Her eyes widened. Who in their right mind would pay one hundred dollars for a sweatshirt with a little "J" charm on it when she could get the same thing at the local Wal-Mart for twenty bucks? This _did_ feel better than the Wal-Mart clothes. For now. Maybe she would be one of those designer brand-loyal girls?

_And maybe vampires will be in my math class! Oops. There are. My bad._

She shuffled through the contents of the luggage. Her hand landed on a fluffy jacket folded neatly at the bottom. Her eyes widened as she examined _this_ price tag. One hundred eighty dollars! That's more than she made in four months at Newton's! Also in the suitcase was another sweatshirt and matching sweatpants in bubblegum pink. Um, no thanks. There was a pair of expensive-looking light distressed jeans in a Bergdorf's bag. There was a Barney's bag with a sheer shirt and another cami. A pair of dark boots in a Nordstrom bag and some flip-flops with "C's" all over them. Louis Vuitton? Juicy? North Face? Ugg? Coach? Seven jeans? Bergdorf? Barney's? Nordstrom? It was like a different language to Bella.

"Alice, Alice, Alice…" Bella muttered, fingering the foreign materials.

"Yes, yes, yes?" Alice chimed in the door.

"Oh, I was just going through my suitcase," Bella murmured.

"Never deny Alice Cullen the chance to shop!"

"You stole my words," Bella yawned. "What's up with the note?"

"What note?"

"The whole 'don't find me I'll find you' thing? Ring a bell?" Bella asked, wide-eyed.

"Um, Edward's kind of in a…funk right now."

"You talk about him so nicely. _He is being a total drama queen!!"_ Jasper growled.

"Woah, and I thought you were the mellow one," Bella whispered to herself.

"Head that," Jasper winked and left the room.

"So…I'm kind of looking for a pale-looking, bronze-haired seventeen-year-old about ye high?" She put her hand up about five inches higher than herself. "Seen anyone around that would match that description?" She chuckled.

"Emmett, get in here," Alice whispered.

"No, Alice. Edward!" Her voice broke at his name.

"He's gone to take care of things, Bella. Want the truth? He's on the phone with Carlisle. And guess where Carlisle is? He is at the police station. He's going to be charged with kidnapping, Bella. _Your_ kidnapping."

"But I'm eighteen! I'm an adult!"

"Just call Charlie and try to convince him you're fine."

"He's going to ask where I am! What do I say? 'Um, dad? To tell you the truth, Edward killed Jacob because Jacob was going to tell you that he was in a vampire? I'm in the Lost City of Atlantis? Don't try to find me?'"

Alice's face was twisted in a way that Bella had never seen it before. "Is this what this is to you? We are just imaginary creatures? That we have unicorns in our backyards?" Alice sighed. "Sorry. I lost it. I'm just so stressed out, Bells." She walked over and sat on Bella's bed. "I see you like your new clothes! Shopping mission accomplished!" She laughed weakly. Bella smiled the same in return.

"So where's everyone?"

"Oh, Rose called them and told them there would be a human here so they went on a precautionary hunting trip. What did your phone do to you?" Alice asked, noticing the missing phone from the nightstand.

"I kind of chucked it."

"Kind of?" Alice eyed her skeptically. "That's okay. I had a vision that you would do it and I didn't want to wake you up so I got you another one. Same number."

"For once I gotta say, you really are a lifesaver, Alice." Bella took the phone. It was an iPhone. "Touch screen? Nice."

"Finally! It feels good to have you actually accept and appreciate gifts! More to come!" Alice trilled and walked out the door, leaving Bella to receive the kiss of death. Calling Charlie.

_The kiss of death…intresting choice of words._

Bella ran her fingers through her hair. She applied a touch-up coat of mascara. Anything to stall this conversation. Bella huffed and typed in Charlie's number at the station. Good thing caller ID wasn't so popular in Forks. This first call would be a test to check Charlie's mood.

"Forks Police Department, Chief Swan speaking." Charlie answered gruffly.

"Chip, chip cherrio, my dear lad. Do you know where I can get a decent room in these parts?" Bella faked. If she ever moved to anywhere in England, she'd need to work on her accent.

_Wayyyy much._

"Who is speaking?"

"Be-" Bella needed to think of a name, and quick. "Betsy Stanson?"

"Well listen, _Betsy_. This is the police station. Call Forks' Information Center for room & board info. 'Kay?"

"My sincerest apologies, Chief. Have a bloody good day." She heard the line click meaning he hung up. Bloody good day? Bloody. Good. Day. Seriously? Could that be more fake?

_I'm offended. Being a true Brit, nobody says "bloody" unless they want to be made fun of. For the rest of their lives. And Bella, hun? Keep your day job. PLEASE._

Ok, now it was time to be Bella Swan.

"Forks PD, Chief Swan Speaking," Charlie seemed more relaxed than he did for the "Besty" call.

_Not for long._

"Yeah, this is Bella." She said, blandly.

"Isabella Marie Swan! Where are you?"

"Atlantis," Bella blurted.

"Atlanta? Why are you in Atlanta?!" Atlantis, Atlanta. Whatever Charlie was happy with.

"Exactly why Carlisle told you." She hoped Carlisle gave a good story. Or _a_ story at least.

"I don't care that Jupiter and Allie are at the hospital there. You never asked my permission. Carlisle knew before I did and that's not okay, Bella."

"Jasper and Alice, Dad. Jasper and Alice. I'm sorry. Now you know. I'll be home soon. I can't tell you when, but soon."

"I'm trusting you, Bells. Remember that." Charlie reminded and then hung up.

"Have a bloody good day," Bella whispered before hitting the "End Call" button on the phone. She looked in her contacts. There was Emmett, Alice, Carlisle, Esme, Jasper, Edward, Charlie and even Renée and Phil. She really was missing Renée lately.

_No, Charlie didn't forget. You'll see Renée soon enough when you go to Jacksonville._

She tapped on the button for a new text message. Where r u?? + wats the deal w/ the note? She was feeling too lazy to go up and investigate for herself. She hit send and then waited for a reply. Shortly after she sent it, her phone started to beep. Patio. Come and I will explain. Hopefully this would clear up _most_ of the confusion. She walked out of the room clutching the phone. _This is bad. This is really, really bad_ she thought.

_Too true. Too true._

"Edward!" She sighed with relief. He was sitting away from her. His head was in his hands. Bella opened the screen door and flip-flopped onto the patio. "I missed you," she said flirtatiously. He stared back at her, his face twisted in agony.

"Leave, Bella. I don't want to hurt you,"

"But your message said-"

"No. Leave Denali. _I could kill you, Bella!_"

"Um, so could Alice, but you see me with her all the time. I don't get it."

"What's not to get? Didn't you see me kill Jacob with my bare hands? And injure you?"

"'What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger'," Bella quoted.

"Hilarious," Edward said dryly. "I'm just afraid…it would _kill_ me if I ever hurt you again. Do you know what I was going through when you were unconscious on the ground? We just don't belong together."

"Don't be afraid. We belong together."

"And now, because of me, you have to go to Jacksonville. You have to just dump your life. Because of me! You're going to miss Charlie so much, right?" Edward looked so ashamed. Bella thought of a way to lighten the mood.

"I'll miss my friends, too. Especially Mike. Oh, Mike! How will I go on?" Bella tried to lighten the conversation. Edward smiled weakly.

"I'll never forgive myself for what I'm about to do. Not if I live a hundred thousand years. I know this is what I need to do, though. Right and wrong."

"Wait- you're serious, aren't you?! Is this what they were talking about?"

"Yes." As soon as Edward uttered the word, her vision started to get blotchy. "You're not supposed to be the one crying, Bella." Her expression was astonished. What should she be doing? Cartwheels and handstands?

_Or something to that effect._

"I can do anything I want! Butt out!" Bella yelled.

"Bella, we're through! Go!" Edward hollered.

"Is it because what I said because-"

"No! Just make my life easier and leave!"

Bella whimpered and ran away, with the steady beat of her flip-flops being the only sound. There was a slight pause and then a groan.

_Is incoodination a _disease?!

"Ohmygod!" She lied down on the sofa in the living room and sobbed. When she woke up she was in her room. Someone must have moved her while she was crying. She glanced at the time displayed on her iPhone. It had only been three hours but it felt like three years. At least. She stared at the ceiling.

"I need some keys or an airplane ticket or a taxi or _some way out_!" Bella's voice cracked on the last phrase. She looked at the nightstand for answers. Surprisingly, she spotted a plane ticket on the table. She examined it closer. It was headed straight for Jacksonville but it left tomorrow so she'd have to suffer to one more day. And it was in coach. These are astronomically rich vampires but when he breaks up with you, you get sent home coach.

_She's fretting about where she's going to sit in her plane? Rosalie is rubbing off on her way too much. Bella has so much more to worry about than this._

Bella searched the halls for the bathroom. When she found it she closed the door and turned on the sink. Running water usually calmed her, but today it was making her more infuriated.

_Remember the last time someone lost their temper? Be careful, Bella!_

She studied herself in the mirror. Her eyes were puffy and red. She looked horrible. She ran her fingers through her knotted hair. Even though they probably couldn't hear her, she muttered," What do those idiotic vamps not know about staying on the continental United Stated of freaking America? Those vile, stupid, freak low-life Cullen's. That's all they are to me now." She needed to vent and no one was here to vent _to_ so she vented to herself. "They only hurt, not help," she recited to herself so she would cool off. When she reached the guest room again she sat on her bed and took her pillow to muffle the screams.

Alice couldn't take this. Even when she heard all of the comments Bella made about them she still loved her. If Edward didn't break up with Bella then Bella would never even _dream_ of saying those things about them.

_Wait- who's controlling the story? Last time I checked-which was right now- I was._

She knew she would never let Bella go as long as she lived. Edward just kept getting Bella's hopes up and then hurting her and the least Alice could do is help Bella when she needed it. They could possibly be guilty indirectly for Bella taking her own life because she _was_ known for her bizarre choice in recreational activities…she just hoped Bella didn't hate _her_.

Bella collected her suitcase without a word. Today was the big day. She was in a thin blue sweater, her purposely ripped Seven jeans, and Coach flip-flops. In her frame of mind, she would be lucky if she'd died of hypothermia because every time she saw Edward through the glass wall, she died a little inside. She put her bags by the door and did her best to saunter into the kitchen with a smug smile on her face.

_Not working too well._

At the kitchen table the Cullen family was engrossed in conversation. They heard her enter but didn't acknowledge her. She pulled out the yellow pages to order a taxi to the airport. She noticed a page was doggie-eared. It was the list of the taxi services with a note:

Your taxi comes at ten. Please take the contents of the envelope. Good luck in Jacksonville, Bella. I will miss you. We all will.

Love, Alice

P.S. Keep the phone, suitcase and clothes, please. Look at them and think of me. This is not easy and I know you know that.

She opened the manilla envelope. Inside was a Chanel wristlet with twenty crisp twenty dollar bills. Oh, god.

She scanned the table. There was Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie, Edward, Tanya, Carmen, Elezar and Irina. No Alice. She didn't want to say this if Alice was there, because she was the only one trying to help.

"Thanks, everyone. My life is ruined." She picked up her bag and stumbled onto the porch to wait for the taxi.

On the plane, Bella was going insane. She was the only one in her row besides this little thirteen-year-old with freakish pale skin. Her auburn hair was clipped back with not one hair out of place with what looked like a diamond-studded barrette. Was everyone in Jacksonville loaded? The girl's perfect features reminded Bella of a certain family. Bella shuddered.

_Just because a little girl is pale doesn't mean she's a vampire, Bella. You might hurt someone's feelings in the future with false accusations. It just so happened that the thirteen-year-old _was _a vampire, who also just so happened to be me._

Edward huffed and shook his head. "No, Alice. You will _not _interfere in Bella's life!" He shouted into the receiver. What was with the note? 'If you need me, give me a call?'" Edward impersonated Alice flawlessly.

"That's not what I said. I just said I'd miss her. Is that against the law? You aren't the boss of me, Edward. Not anymore." And the line went dead. Bella was going to make her his whole family hate him. Maybe she already did. Would he find peace when she died? It was all her fault. And she must pay. Soon.

_It's not like I have a problem with _that_._


	8. Chapter 8

**So close yet so far away**

Bella stepped off the plane and into the bustling Floridian airport. Ew, sunshine. She propped a pair of Ray-Ban aviator glasses on her nose (gift from Alice she found in her suitcase) and squinted into the terminal at her new surroundings. An important-looking businessman with slightly balding hair brushed past her to get in line for Starbucks like his life depended it.

"_Excuse me!_" Yelled the preteen she'd been sitting next to. "Hel-lo! You stole my phone!"

_I had to get her attention somehow._

"What? No I didn't!" She looked flustered.

"You better lawyer up." The girl sneered.

"Um…"

"Here's my information. I need yours." She scrawled Destiny Emily Collins, 1254 Mount Black road, Forks, Washington on a blank piece of index card.

"Oh, you live in Forks, too?" She asked.

"Bella, come on. Didn't I write that?" The girl huffed and turned the volume back up on her pink iPod. Justin Timberlake's "Sexyback" came blaring out.

"What did you call me?"

_Oops. BIG oops in my part._

"Um, I'll see you around," she said. Bella probably had figured out she was definitely not human by now so she didn't bother to slow down. In half of a second, she was nowhere to be seen.

_Because I was hiding in an empty airplane hanger, waiting for what was going to unfold between her and someone close there._

Bella looked curiously and shrugged it off and continued to survey her surroundings. A mother with a baby sat across from where she stood looking beyond exhausted. There was a bronze-haired vampire leaning against the wall looking bored. And an elderly Asian woman yelling at some teenage twins and hitting them with her cane. There was a bodybuilder and his plastic surgery-overdone, Barbie doll wife. Or daughter, that's how young she looked.

_Wait- vampire, bronze hair? That sounds like someone awfully familiar!_

It took about ten second's for Bella's human brain to realize she overlooked _Edward_ as the bronze-haired handsome.

_What human could pull off the perfect hair that early on a Saturday?_

"Edward?!" Bella shrieked from across the airport.

"Yeah, beautiful?" A sleazy guy with a New York accent yelled from behind the McDonald's counter. Obviously, there was more than one Edward in Florida. Bella waved New York Edward off and started sprinting towards vampire Edward forgetting they were mad at each other. Her Edward.

_Um, as of like, two days ago, he kinda wasn't hers anymore…duh?!_

"Ah, Bella.'' Edward numero uno said, advancing towards her. Closer. Closer. Too close. _Much_ too close. Bella backed away but Edward snatched her up and in the blink of an eye they were in an empty airplane hanger.

_Romantic much? I think not._

Bella pondered her situation. From the gleam in Edward's eye, she couldn't tell if they were going to get back together or what…? But she also knew from the color in his eyes, that being alone with a thirsty ex-boyfriend/vampire was not good. Especially in a place where people wouldn't be able to hear her screams.

"Um, I kind of have to get to Renée's now, so um, I guess you are going to say goodbye, even though you could have in Denali?"

"No. I ran. Fast. To catch you." Edward said, seriously.

"Well," Bella chuckled nervously. "You got me, so I'll talk to you…whenever." Bella started to walk backwards but stumbled. "Stupid expensive flip-flops." She removed the shoes and continued to walk backwards. She ever so slowly turned around. Once she was to the side to see if Edward was still standing there in the corner of her eye, he found his chance. He ran towards her and pushed her against the hanger's steel wall.

"This is a bad time. Don't worry, this won't hurt." Edward promised. Bella shrieked. "No one can hear you," he reminded.

_Oh, Bella. Died so young, so naïve… and Edward being the poster child for _America's Most Wanted_…how unfortunate._

Once Bella was pinned to the wall, Edward opened his jaws and bit her on the wrist, right next to where James had bitten her earlier in the year. Bella looked more pale than usual as she drooped to the ground.

"STOP!" Alice's voice cut through the hanger after what felt like hours to Bella, but in actuality was only seconds. Emmett came barreling in and had Edward out of the empty hanger in milliseconds.

"Carlisle!" Edward moaned on his way out.

"What do we do?" Emmett roared as soon as he came back in. Jasper was at his heels plugging his nose and not breathing.

"We need Carlisle! I don't know what to do!" Alice sobbed.

Carlisle and Rosalie were out hunting, very far away so when Esme called and told them what Alice had predicted, they started heading back. A person (again, noun could be argued) can't just leave a three-hundred thousand dollar Aston Martin Vanquish in a random Wildlife Reserve parking lot, so they were on their way to the airport.

"Someone needs to get the venom out!" Esme yelled.

"Here we go again," Emmett groaned.

"Alice? Will you? Will you save Bella?" Esme whispered.

"No," Alice whimpered. "I can't. I don't know how I could…"

"You can do it, Alice. I believe in you and know you can. _If_ you want to." Emmett whispered.

"I want to save Bella. Let me do it," whispered a voice. Alice wheeled around.

"No, Jasper! You can't without _killing_ her!" she yelled, her eyes glowing.

"Let Jasper," Esme said to Alice. No way to win this one.

"Be careful," Alice said severely. Jasper sucked in a giant breath and closed his eyes.

"I can do it. I _will_ overcome this." With that, Jasper Cullen began to save Isabella Marie Swan's life.


	9. Chapter 9

**Seven minus three is four. And that is four more than those in the Cullen coven. Which is zero.**

Carlisle ran into the hanger with Rosalie at his heels a second before Jasper had finished removing the venom.

"What is going on? You're watching Jasper kill Bella?!" Rosalie yelled.

"No. We're watching Jasper _save_ Bella." Esme replied.

_Once again, it would have been soooo much easier if these people (vampires, whatever!) had just minded their own business!_

Carlisle looked at Esme questioningly.

"Edward bit Bella. Jasper saved Bella." Emmett replied.

_Was his mantra 'the less words the better' or 'the less _brains_ the better?'_

"Good job, Jasper," Carlisle said proudly as he smelled the air around Bella. "I don't sense any more trace of venom."

Bella's eyes fluttered and then popped open. She shrieked.

"Bella, Bella! Calm down!" Alice hushed.

"Don't hurt me! I'm warning you!" Bella took her iPhone out of her pocket threateningly and her finger loomed dangerously close to the 9-1-1 speed dial. "You _are_ with him, aren't you? Aren't you going to try to kill me, too?!"

"No, Bella. We don't understand any of Edward's actions lately. He tried to kill you and then Jasper saved you just in time," Alice reported.

"Not like that's any excuse for his behavior," Esme said.

"I hurt," was all Bella said.

"Do you want to go to a hospital?" Esme asked.

"No, I'm not hurt, hurt. I'm just _hurt_." Bella said, like her mashed-up sentence actually made sense.

"Ohh. I get it. Edward. Like, emotions and stuff. Yeaaah." Emmett said. That know-it-all.

_Know-it-nothing more like it?_

"Yesssss!" Bella wailed and broke into sobs. "Edward! Fine! And broke up! Hates me! Tried to kill me!" was all even the vampire's, acute, precision hearing understood.

Alice looked like she was going to be sick. So did Carlisle, Esme, Emmett and even Rosalie. Jasper had a look of pure, raw rage on his face.

_WWE smackdown, anyone? I sense a love triangle with Miss Swan balancing dangerously at the top…_

"Let's get you out of here. Renée is expecting you but I left a message on her machine telling her you had a layover and won't be in until later to explain your tardiness, but you have to come up with another story for the scar. And please make it one that Alice doesn't have to have too much fun with," Carlisle added, winking. He cleaned the wound on her wrist and put a bandage around it.

Being the gentleman we all love, Jasper helped Bella get into the Aston Martin. Carlisle took the wheel with Rosalie in front and Jasper and Bella in the back. Jasper was inching dangerously close to her.

_Player! Hope Alice doesn't hear about this!_

Alice was in a stolen Mercedes with Esme, Rosalie and Emmett when all of a sudden she received a text message from an unknown number. It read: watch jasper closely. Everyone has secrets.

_The number was only unknown to her. Hey, a girl has to have back-up phones for blackmail._

"What?!" she said, her mouth wide open. "What?!" She repeated.

"What's wrong?" Esme asked. Alice passed the phone up to Esme from her seat in the back. Esme peered at it and then dialed Jasper's number.

"What was the text all about?" she scolded.

"The one that told Alice that you had some sort of secret?!" Esme responded. Alice was hyperventilating. Figuratively, of course.

_How funny that Jasper didn't know his own secret._

"Whatever, Esme. He'll tell _me_." Alice said coldly, motioning for Esme to give her back the phone. "Are you _keeping_ something from me? Is there someone else?" Alice joked. "Joking. That's okay, it was probably Edward using another phone being stupid." Alice doubted that. _Was_ there someone else?

"Well, there might be, Alice. There might be." Jasper said, as soon as Alice hung up, so she didn't hear.

"This is your stop," Carlisle paused at the Renée's quaint abode.

"I'll walk her to the door," Jasper offered.

When they were out of the car, they walked up the long path and around to the garage door. The bulbous garage blocked the Cullen's view of them.

"Be safe, Bella. Call me if you need me." He kissed her on the cheek like some cheesy old movie.

"Always," she ran inside and started hyperventilating. What was _that?!_

_Amore, as the French say. Or if you flunked your AP French exam, Jasper's got a little case of the love bug._

As soon as he did it, he regretted it. Alice would _definitely_ see him do that. He was going to be in serious trouble when he got home.

_Or, _if_ he got home…_

As soon as he got back in the car, Rosalie went into full-blow flip-out mode.

"Ohmigodyou_do_haveasecret! IamsooootellingAlice!" She was talking a mile a minute, at least. "Good job Jasper! Go kiss your brother's girlfriend when you are already MARRIED! Aliceisgoingtogeta_kick_outofthis!" Rosalie bellowed. Carlisle sat driving, tight-lipped. Jasper just sat there.Expressionless. Lifeless. Just not caring. But how did they know?

_Text messages. Technology is very helpful. For more reasons than blackmail._

Rosalie snatched her phone from her fancy-schmancy purse and dialed Alice. "OHMIGOD! Theweirdtextwas_right_! Jasper has a secret and I know what it is!"

"Slow down! What's Jasper's secret?" Alice hushed.

"JASPER CULLEN HAS A THING FOR BELLA!" Rosalie shouted. The window was open and some guys in a convertable were staring at her. She blew them a kiss.

_That's not why the guys were staring. Have you ever heard someone shout a deep, dark secret out of a window? No? Well, good. And don't you ever do it. You never know who could be listening. Say, maybe me?_

"What?" Alice squeaked.

"Tu comprehendes English? God! Jasper. Likes. Bella!"

"I heard what you said. Put Jasper on." Rosalie had to cover her mouth with her hand. Alice must have thought Rosalie was passing the phone off and couldn't hear her long string of curses, but boy, could she ever! Rosalie tossed the phone back to Jasper.

"Hm?" was all Jasper dared to utter.

"I never, ever want to talk to you again!" And the line went dead.

"Shoot. Carlisle? Just drop me off here. I really messed up."

Without a word, Carlisle pulled over to the side of the neighborhood and let Jasper go on the sidewalk. As soon as the car sped away, Jasper took his phone in between his fingers and crushed it to a pulp. The girl mowing the lawn of the property he was standing in front of turned off the motor and gasped. Oops.

"I'm a…bodybuilder. Yeah." Jasper mumbled, explaining the pile of parts that used to be his phone.

"Are you new here?" The girl asked, shaking off the random destruction of a cell phone she had just witnessed.

"Sort of."

"Why don't you come in and…um…chill out?" asked the thirteen-year-old.

"Um, okay?"

_Yeah, we were going to chill out, alright. Right after I demanded what the _heck_ he was doing to my little story._

The girl and Jasper walked onto the porch and into the kitchen.

"Marissa! I'm taking a break!" The girl yelled up the stairs. "Do you want-"

"No. I'm on this special diet," Jasper answered quickly. Why bother with the secret? She had just witnessed him crushing a phone to spare parts.

"Me, too. Let's get past the weirdness, Jasper. I know what you are. And I'm here to help your life out a little."

_Help…destroy…same difference._

"What?!" Jasper whispered.

"I'm one of you, Jasper."

_Did you expect me to tell him everything?! 'Yeah, I'm a stalker who's controlling your life so deal with it?!'_

"No. This doesn't make sense,"

_News flash: in case you haven't noticed, life doesn't make sense._

"Jasper. I have something to tell you." She swallowed loudly. "I'm a Cullen. Well, not really. I'm more of a mistake. One of those…impulse ones? I was created the day Carlisle was created. He just couldn't control himself, And now my life is ruined, Jazz! Can you help me?" She sobbed.

_God, I'm good. He's totally buying it. This is all I had to do to turn Jasper against Carlisle? Piece. Of. Cake._

"No. Carlisle wouldn't ruin someone's life like that unless they were dying." Jasper protested.

"I was a little teenage girl who got lost in a dark alley with a newborn vampire. Sounds possible to me." She fabricated.

"Everything he's stood for…all the lies he's told…what did I do to deserve this?"

"That's exactly why I knew I had to tell you. You deserve to know."

"I do!" Jasper said defiantly. This was turning into a pep talk.

"So what are you going to do about it?" She asked, starting to get riled up.

"Um, I don't know?" Jasper deflated.

"Good job. You _just_ killed the buzz." She glared at him.

"So what _is _your name?"

"Destiny Emily Collins." She stated proudly.

"And you live here?"

"Why, do you want to stalk me? You know you can _with_ my knowledge," Destiny smiled.

_Jasper, Jasper, Jasper. Being the gentleman he is, he'd do anything for a pretty lady like myself. Just look at how he got turned into a vampire._

"No, just curious." Jasper said. If he'd been human, his face probably would have been a thousand shades of red.

"I live in the South," Destiny said stupidly.

_NOT! Lies, lies, lies. That's not even my real story. Or name!_

"Oh. Do I know you, then?"

"Yeah, I guess. Do you know Maria? She's like, my sister we are so close."

_Who is Maria? I only know that Jasper knows her! Oh my god! Please, Jasper. Don't ask me questions about this Maria chick. This can't end now. And _why_ would I go to South? Slip up after slip up!!_

"Maria! Where is she?" Jasper elated. Destiny looked around the room for a distraction.

"Coming, 'Rissa!"

"She didn't call you," Jasper pointed out, confused.

"What do _you_ know?" Destiny sneered and shut the door in his face. He stared at the closed door and shrugged. Weird.

Edward felt betrayed. Hurt. Pissed. Thirsty. His family was deserting him for _Bella? _Didn't they know that the only reason he'd played along this whole time with being her boyfriend is because she happened to find out his secret? He didn't hate her, so he couldn't kill her, and this seemed to be the only alternative. _Then _it was. Now killing her didn't sound so bad. Alice woke him up from his trance.

"This is all your fault, Edward! Jasper would have never left me if you didn't kill Bella the minute you'd met her!"

Jasper left Alice? Now this was news to him. "Nuh-uh! This _still _would have happened!" Edward retorted.

"Uh-huh!"

_The Cullen's like playing the blame game? Wow._

"Shut! Up!" A livid Esme yelled in the background.

_Woah._

"Edward Anthony! You are no longer welcome in our household, coven, family or _whatever!_" Esme yelled and passed the phone to Emmett.

"Yeah. Get the hell out. No one knows who you are anymore. I doubt you even do!" All that could be heard was the screeching of a Vovlo, a slamming of a door and the continuous _whoosh_ of air. Edward threw his phone down somewhere in northern California, not even bothering to turn it off. He was running. Not from a _where_ but from a _who._ Himself.


	10. Chapter 10

**What just happened?!**

Bella was sitting in her depressing Jacksonville room. It was painted Lillian Pullitzer green and pink. Sooo seventh grade. Renée hadn't gotten home yet so she lie on her bed, thinking. Thinking about the strange girl in the airport. Bella rifled through her purse to find the index card but her hand landed on a long shape. She pulled it out the find that it was a Blackberry Storm. This wasn't her phone! She looked at the main screen, which had a picture of Destiny and a guy in front of a penguin. Destiny made a peace sign with her fingers. Bella shivered. It looked cold in the picture. At least fifteen feet of snow and ice was visable in the picture. Where could this have been taken?

_Seeing as I don't get cold, my friend Dustin and I often vacay in the Arctic._

She flipped over the phone to see if it had a name. The words: Property of Destiny Emily Collins. If you are reading this and you stole my phone, you better layer up ASAP were scrawled on the back in pink Sharpie.

_And where else would I have "lost" my phone?_

Bella gasped and scrolled through the contacts to find Destiny's home phone number. Bella hit "talk."

"Ello, Destiny, babe" Said a boyish voice on the other line.

_Ah, Dustin._

"This isn't Destiny…I just found her phone and was calling to try and give it back." Bella responded meekly.

"Bella!" He whispered.

"Excuse me? Do I know you?"

"You will find out soon. Everything isn't normal." The boy said in a chilling voice. And the line went dead.

_And Dustin was sooo right._

Bella's brow scrunched together in confusion. Of course thing weren't normal, but how did this random guy know, too?

Rosalie couldn't believe it. This was the first time _she_ was the one who was gung-ho for breaking up her family. Well, not exactly. She just wanted to vote Edward off the island. The rest just kind of happened.

_She seriously thinks everything is just a coincidence, doesn't she?_

With the whole Jacob thing Edward just fell apart. Speaking of…

When what was left of the Cullen's pulled into Forks' city limits, they obviously didn't see the two shady werewolfy figures that "just happened" to be watching.

_What did I just say? We _need _to hire a new narrator. No, _I'm_ not the narrator. I don't report the news. I make the stories._

One wolf was sandy brown and the other was charcoal gray. Enter Seth and Leah Clearwater. With half of Seth's being, he couldn't believe he was going to kill his former allies. With the other half, he couldn't wait to begin.

"Grab your overnight bags, boys. We're going vampire hunting," Leah joked. There was a chorus of excited howls. Seth couldn't back down now. With a breach this big in the treaty, war was inevitable. Edward would have to pay. Soon. First they needed a reason to get lose leeches mad.

_Seriously. When this is through everyone's getting treatment for anger management. That is, everyone who is still standing._

Edward stiffened. He had worked his way back to Seattle but couldn't calm down enough to make it back to Forks to talk this out. Now that he heard what the pack was planning on doing, the best thing to stay out of it. There is a time and place for everything, and this was not the time, or the place.

"'Free at last! Holy Lord, I'm free at last!'" Edward recited from a famous MLK speech. The phase felt _so_ appropriate for this moment.

_Finally! Amen to that!_

Bella, as oblivious to the outside world as ever, sat at her desk in Duval High School listening to her new Biology teacher, Mr. Ribbon in _tierra del sol_, also known as Jacksonville, Florida. Her new Bio partner sat at the extreme edge of the table. Bella sniffed her hair. Strawberries. Was he _allergic_ to strawberries?

_Or her?_

"Hello. My name is Edwin Collier," The boy said with a little bit of an English accent.

Oh. My. God. Was it just her or was he like, albino? And why oh why did his name have to be _Edwin Collier?_ Bella almost shot up from her seat but opted for whispering so she didn't case a scene.

"You have pale white skin. You never eat or drink anything and you don't go out in the sunlight. You talk like you're from a different time. How old are you?"

"What? I'm on a special diet!" He whispered back, looking shocked.

"How. Old. Are. You?"

"Seventeen…"

"How long have you been seventeen?"

Edwin started counting on his fingers. "Like, ten months? Why?"

"I know what you are!" Bella pressed on.

"What?!"

"I'll say it out loud!"

"What the hell?" Edwin was clearly not what Bella accused him of being.

"A vampire! And I'm not afraid!" Bella yelled, for the whole class to hear.

"Isabella?! What's going on?" Mr. Ribbon asked.

_So much for not causing a scene._

"Edwin Collier is a vampire! He wanted to kill me but he got over it!" Bella said, proudly.

"Hey Edwin? Where's Emily and her husband, your creator, Carl? Where's your sisters Rosa and Allie and your brothers Jupiter and Emril?" Bella asked as she walked out of the class. "Did you kill Jordan, the werewolf, because he was going to expose you to your girlfriend, Betty's, policeman dad?" Bella ran out of the class sobbing uncontrollably.

_Three words: Off. Her Rocker!_

"Yeah. Um, could you pick me up?" Bella said into the school nurse's phone to her mom. "I kind of had a breakdown."

_Kind of? You just called a polite teenager a vampire. Insult much?_

Rosalie was the first one to spot the wolves. She hissed.

"I have a feeling I know what they want."

"More like who," Carlisle muttered.

"Let me at 'em."

"Your funeral," Carlisle allowed, shaking his head. Whatever. Rosalie would eventually leave soon anyways, right?

She opened the door to get out and reason with the wolves. Embry was the first to approach her with his hands behind his back.

"You aren't Edward, but you'll do." He smiled and produced a giant net, which he threw over Rosalie just as Carlisle, Esme, Alice, and Emmett were getting out of their cars.

"Goodnight, Blondie," muttered a voice. Rosalie couldn't tell whose voice it was, but it eerily sounded like Jacob's. But that's impossible. Jacob was dead. And that was the reason her Chanel Black Satin nail polish was getting chipped, her hair frizzy and her YSL dress crinkled inside the sack she was being held hostage in.

"Rosalie!" Emmett bellowed. Alice lazily restrained him.

"She wasn't my favorite, anyway," Alice muttered. No one silenced her. No one scolded her. No one cared.


	11. Chapter 11

**Come out, come out wherever you are!**

Everyone had made a plan to meet up in three day's time, there was, after all, a funeral to plan. So when Alice, Emmett, Esme and Carlisle went back home to make a game plan, Edward and Jasper didn't even bother to show up.

"Bella?" Jasper knocked on Bella's door.

"Hello?" Renée answered the door. "Ohhh, _hello_!" She said as she gave Jasper the once-over.

"Hey," Jasper said as he impolitely brushed past her. "Bella! I need to talk to you!" He used his vampire speed to get up to her room and talk.

Renée's eyes widened at what she just saw and managed to croak, "Leave the door open!"

"I need to talk to you, too! Did you know that Destiny is-"

"A vampire?!" they said at the same moment.

"Yes. Long story short, she lives in the south and Carlisle accidentally created her when he was a newborn. I've based my life on false teachings!" Jasper moaned.

"Um, no. She lives in Forks." Bella contradicted.

"Um, wrong again. She's everywhere. She lived in Chicago. That doesn't matter, though. She's _everywhere_ watching your _every_ move," whispered a new voice.

Bella and Jasper both wheeled around. Speak of the devil and she shall appear.

"I believe you have my phone? And Dustin said you'd never figure it out. Well, I'm not the most patient person in the world and I have lots of other people's lives to ruin so don't try to figure out who or what I am, okay? Because I think you value your lives. And I wouldn't want anything to happen…then again, what do I care?" Destiny smiled the most evil smile possible for a thirteen-year-old and sat on the windowsill. "And…don't think my age stops me from anything. I can make your lives bad. I mean, _worse_," she chuckled and hopped onto the grass and out of the yard.

"Wait- what were we talking about?" Jasper asked after a short pause.

"I don't know…"

"You said you had to tell me something?"

"Oh yeah. I forgot. It'll come to me sometime. But it was important. I know that… so, what have you been doing?"

_I just have skills like that! My idea to wipe their memory-please! Save the applause until you hear the 'happily ever after!'_

"I had a vision!" Alice trilled with a sly smile. She was in the mood for a little riddle. "So obviously we lose Rosalie either way but that's not such a bad deal 'cause we've got a plus one!"

"What is your scrawny little problem? We are falling apart! I don't care what you people do with the rest of your lives you cheaters, liars and stealers but I have a future. _With_ Rosalie!" Emmett growled and kicked a dent in the door.

"My priceless solid mahogany door," Esme sighed. Emmett kicked a hole in the wall next. Carlisle shook his head.

"We just need a break again. We just need our space and then we can come back together in a couple of centuries." Carlisle suggested.

"Yeah. House a cheater named Jasper and Little-Miss-Jealousy Alice together. Put a homicidal/suicidal/just plain crazy vampire and his lovesick cheater girlfriend together. Why don't we build a doghouse for the wolves that want to kill us and we'll see how that goes? We can ever discuss this over tea and freaking biscuits!" Emmett remarked.

Alice had an evil smile nobody had ever seen her wear. "Don't worry about Bella. She's going to be one of us!" Alice ran out of the room, out of the house. To Jacksonville!

_Oh my god. Can this story get more messed up? The answer? YES. Two words! Just. Watch._

Alice flitted into Bella's open window to see Bella and Jasper just sitting with no words between them.

"Bella," Alice acknowledged her. "Jasper, darling? Would you step out for a moment? _Now!_" Alice said faux-politely. Jasper nodded and went into the den to chat with Phil about football or whatever. "We need you and no one's taking no for an answer so tell Renée you'll see her in a few years because we got to go now." Alice explained with _great_ detail.

"Um, ok…only if you don't want to kill me?"

"No promises," she muttered so Bella couldn't hear.

_Oh…I don't like using words like that. Let's pretend we're in kindergarten and spell it out. 'We're going to turn you into a V-A-M-P-I-R-E!!' Now do you get it?_


	12. Chapter 12

**Secrets, secrets are no fun. But some secrets aren't meant for everyone.**

So, as she had told Renée, she was on her way to "Mike's beach house." That was absolutely the worst lie she'd _ever_ told. And that's saying something. She'd have to start lying better now. Crimson eyes and breathtaking beauty do have their drawbacks.

_On occasion…_

"Let me make _one_ call," Bella pleaded from the backseat. She'd left her iPhone on her nightstand in the sudden rush to get out of her house now that she'd thought about it. She dialed the number of the one person she hadn't wanted to hear from. Ever.

"Hello. You've reached Edward Cullen's cell phone. Please leave your message," coaxed the velvety voice. Alice tried to tune out all of the cursing Bella was doing to the phone. Poor phone. She sighed. It had done nothing wrong; it was the man who was to receive the message that was to blame.

_Back and forth. 'No, it's Alice!' and 'I can't believe Edward!' When are they going to find out that they'd been fighting over who was to blame and it was me? Oops. Hope they don't take it too personally! You never know what could happen to me._

"This is all your fault! Rosalie would be fine and I'd still be in Forks and if the world even _cared _about me you'd still be the _freak_ in the back of the cafeteria! I'm only helping _your_ family because one, you're MIA, and two, I've been _abducted!_ Go ruin someone else's life!" Bella screamed into the phone. Alice pulled to the curb.

"Get out, then." Alice whispered. Now more confident, Alice yelled the words now. "Get out! I hope a _wolf_ eats you!" Bella gasped. She'd never heard Alice's voice this livid. Or grant her a death wish. Bella bolted out the door. She ran aimlessly into the woods until she tripped on a branch. She curled into a ball under a giant oak, safe from the rain. She was a hollow shell of a person. She had no clue where in the USA she was. She only knew that she was in her own personal hell.

Edward looked disapprovingly as a familiar thirteen-year-old flirted with the guy at the flower shop. She hopped onto the counter and he muttered something into her ear. She gasped, slid off the counter and ran away crying. She planted herself on the other side of the bench from Edward. He was in Port Angeles. So close to Forks. He just couldn't stay away. Or go back, either. But what did the flower guy have on him? And the girl was pretty enough. Too young, but still pretty. Too pretty, almost.

_That's me! And no, nothing bad actually happend Part of the plan, remember? The planted evidance, fake ID…_

She sniffled and turned to face him. "I know you don't know me but you've got to help me!" She whispered. "This really scary brunette stole my phone on the way to Jacksonville. She had curly brown hair, brown eyes, and was crying a lot. Can you go to the police with me? She was with this short girl with spiky black hair and this freaky dude with crazy dirty blond hair. And he looked like he was in pain." She added for effect. "I live in Forks so I'm probably gonna tell Uncle Charlie about this. Please come with m-m-me!" She lied. The girl broke into sobs.

"Let's go. And I know who stole your phone. But I'm not so sure _Uncle _Charlie would believe me." Edward said with suspicion. "Who are you anyway?"

"Destiny Emily Collins. Where'd you park the Volvo?" She asked immediately perking up.

"How did you know what I drive?"

_I need to learn how to keep my mouth shut. And my thoughts._

"Lucky guess…?"

"I have a funny feeling about you, Destiny. I don't think you are what you say you are. And therefore, I demand answers."

"How about you tell me first?" She offered. All of a sudden, the floodgates opened. Literally. She couldn't hold back her thoughts anymore. Her life was on display for Edward.

_I'm a vampire! I control other people's actions! _I _made you human! _I _made you kill Jacob! _I _made you break up with Bella! _I_ made the wolves kidnap Rosalie and Jasper like Bella and the wolves kill Bella! How could it end like this? I'm not weak! Come on, you know me! YOU KNOW ME!_

He stood there, openmouthed. "Why?" he asked, ignoring all of the other comments inside my head.

"Don't you see, Edward?!" she yelled. "I couldn't watch and let you ruin your life by falling in love with her! I morally couldn't do it! Bella, she has no future! A future of tripping, falling and dying, maybe! But we can live forever! Why can't you see this?" She started pacing. "Just say yes."

"I don't even know you!" he yelled.

_He didn't. Know. Me?!?!?_

He calmed down a bit. "What is your power _exactly?_" Edward growled.

"I set a course, a future and when I like it, I just, I don't know! I close my eyes and picture it and it comes true! This is my first time doing something this extreme! I can have whatever I want I just have to dream it! And this is my dream!" Destiny yelled. People were starting to stare but neither of them cared.

"The future isn't set in stone, but your destiny is," Edward muttered. "Just change it back!"

"I don't know _how!"_

"But I think I do." Edward kissed Destiny on the cheek. Just like that. And then all of a sudden, Destiny woke up in front of Bella's house. She looked on as Bella and Edward talked in the house from behind a tree.

"I'm no good for you, Bella. You deserve a human boy. Not me." She heard Edward say. Bella leaned in for a kiss.

"You'll have to do for now." Bella joked.

"No!" Destiny whispered, even though she knew she was alone. "NO!"

And Edward actually kissed back. No sorry, no goodbye. No screaming and killing and crying. Alice pulled up in her Porche hand in hand with Jasper. Emmett and Rosalie came out of the back with their arms around each other. Destiny saw all of this. It was history repeating itself just the way it would have if Destiny hadn't intervened. Just to rub it in to Destiny Emily Collins, the vampire who had absolutely nothing. She was alone again. The memory of what had happened had somehow left Edward but still stung in her heart.


	13. Chapter 13

**Epilogue**

_I sat and I sat. A weight had been added to my still-heavy heart. All this for nothing? And how could he not remember? And he said he could change everything back- and he did. I knew he remembered. He was already trying to forget the thirteen-year-old that stood between him and his true love. Just a small-town girl with her god-like boyfriend. And the lonely little girl watching her whole life fall to pieces right before her eyes. And she was me._

_It was me that had killed Jacob, Bella and later Rosalie. I had started a war. I had broken up a coven and a family. I had broken multiple hearts. I had started relationships and ended them. As I reflected on this, I decided who was I to play god? But then again, I was only thinking about Edward's best interests._

_I'm sure he doesn't remember me. I visited him everyday on his deathbed. I don't love Edward in the sense you're probably thinking of. I am actually Emily Elizabeth Masen and my older brother, Edward Anthony Masen pretended to be dead when in fact he was wandering the streets with the doctor/vampire who saved him. Or so I just learned. For years and years I cried. I ran into the frigid streets of Chicago. I had to run away from this life. When I got turned, I came to Washington. On a fluke I found him. With her. She was a disgrace. Edward. I couldn't believe him. My older brother, the one I've looked up to and then cried over until I ran out of tears when I thought he was dead didn't even recognize me. I wasted my life looking for him. I found him. And he doesn't remember the sister? The one who dropped out of grammer school to tend to him? There had to be someway for him to pay. I'm still not done. I'm actually just getting started. This will not go unpunished._


	14. Another Author's Note :

I JUST realized I used some cool quotes from _Breaking Dawn_: Totally Stephenie Meyer's.

Just FYI.


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